Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Roasted Baby Turnips with Black Quinoa & Samphire

Yesterday was a strange day. We were awoken at 5.55am by a huge Sycamore tree falling into our backyard. I thought the crash was part of my dream. But once the dust had settled I found myself lamenting the loss of this beautiful old tree. The creatures that lived there; thrushes, squirrels, insects... a habitat lost. I will definitely miss the bunches of sycamore keys hanging in the sun, the dappled light it cast and the bustling life inside. Nature is something beautiful to be cherished. A massive part of our day-to-day connection with our planet. And that's another reason I love the plant-based lifestyle. It just makes sense. I love simple ingredients that take the best of natures goodness. Things can be so easily over-complicated when most of the time, it's the simplest things that are the best. This recipe for Roasted Baby Turnips with Black Quinoa & Samphire is lovely and barely-seasoned. The saltiness from the Samphire, pepperiness from the Turnips and just a little Lemon and Parsley to bring it all together.

To serve 2, you will need:150g Black Quinoa10 Baby Sweet Turnips90g SamphireJuice of 1 LemonHandful of Parsley2 tbsp Olive Oil½ tsp Black Pepper½ tsp Salt FlakesFirstly preheat your oven to 200°c. Halve the turnips and chop off most of the stalk. Place them face down in a small baking dish. Pour over 1½ tbsp Olive Oil, sprinkle with the salt and bake for 30 minutes. Turn at least once during baking to ensure even browning.While the turnips are cooking bring a pan of water to the boil then add the Quinoa. Simmer steadily for 20 minutes (or as per packet instructions). Drain and set aside.

Once you have cooked the Quinoa put the remaining Olive Oil into a frying pan on a high heat. Throw in the Samphire and sprinkle over the Black Pepper. Cook for no more than 2 minutes moving around the pan frequently with a wooden spoon.Put the Quinoa into a bowl and squeeze in the lemon juice. Add the samphire, turnips and parsley. Mix together then serve.

This is such a delicious summer dinner. Ready in just over half an hour as well. Simplicity rules!